


A Chance Meeting

by Dragonzzilla, Mordu



Series: A Dance of Dragons [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dragon AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-08-16 06:50:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8091847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonzzilla/pseuds/Dragonzzilla, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mordu/pseuds/Mordu
Summary: The first part of a multi-part fanfiction taking place in an AU where Reinhardt and Genji are both dragons capable of taking on human form. The two dragons couldn't be any more different, but as they begin to live with one another, they start to enjoy each other's company and become something more.





	

It was a beautiful morning. Dawn had come and gone, and now the warm yellow light of the sun filtered through the green canopy above. The leaves and undergrowth crunched beneath Reinhardt's leisurely footsteps, his claws digging furrows in the dirt. Reinhardt did not usually wander in his true form, for it was usually far too inconvenient. Sixty feet did he measure, from snout to tail tip, a hulking beast of muscle and natural armor. But here, in the depths of this lush forest, it was not only possible to move about in his true form, though it was a tight fit, requiring him to hold his wings tight against his body and bend his tail and neck when necessary... but he also felt safe from human discovery. The dull silver dragon had seen centuries turn, and bore the scars to testify that. All around him, the sounds of life chirped around him, almost disregarding his presence as a massive predator. He felt a sense of antiquity in this place, and that he, long-lived, was nonetheless fleeting. It was surreal.

He enjoyed this, though he was far, far away from home. In the last few decades, Reinhardt had wandered the world, defending the weak and fighting injustice, though always in human form. Most were grateful for his aid, but they knew nothing of his true nature, and he worked hard to keep it that way.

Some distance away, he heard the babbling of a stream, calm and soothing. A mild thirst compelled him toward it, his gait heavy, yet absorbed in the forest's ambiance.

Genji had been out gathering from the forest, surprisingly early for himself. He tended to travel the forest in his draconic guise, as navigating the terrain by foot was sometimes arduous. Flying, on the other hand, was quite easy, and Genji had gotten rather good at that. He hovered low, snaking through the trees and beyond the bamboo thickets, stopping to pick up whatever trinkets suited his fancy. His embroidered bag held an assortment of things, from feathers and bones, to seeds and fruits. Anything that the young dragon found interesting, he took back with him.

A strange scent lured him to the center of the forest, an area he loved to visit because of its warm sunshafts. The scent was heady, and as he neared the source it became almost intoxicating. The green dragon moved closer to the ground as not to be noticed, subconsciously recognizing that the source was some sort of creature.

When he laid eyes on the source, he stopped immediately. Sitting at the edge of the pond was a giant silver dragon, one that dwarfed Genji nearly tenfold. Its appearance was much different from Genji's, with wide shoulders and a thick neck-- though their most interesting comparison was that this dragon had huge, leathery wings, ones that surely had a wingspan of near a hundred feet. Despite their differences in appearance, there was no doubt that it was indeed a dragon-- No other creature could compare to the might and majesty of such a thing.

Genji lowered himself into the ground, hoping the other dragon wouldn't notice him-- but just as he did, it turned its head and looked _directly_ at him. He froze, eyes going wide, his hairs standing on end. Fear gripped him like a vice, his lungs sucking in air.

Reinhardt had lowered his neck to drink when he had detected the presence of another. The forest around him teemed with life, but the years had honed his senses rather than dilute them. He knew when he had company. His head craned up, his eyes looking off in the direction of the disturbance. He could just barely discern the entity in the green undergrowth. While another dragon might've put on a threat display to be left alone, or even rush to confront it, Reinhardt felt no temptation to assert himself. He remained where he stood above the stream, the water running beneath his fingers.

"I know you are there," he called in the language of the local area, which he had picked up in his time in the region, hoping that the creature was perhaps sentient and could understand his words. "But I mean you no harm." Usually, dragons were not able to speak any understandable human words, but with age came mastery, and an adult dragon could subtly shift their vocal cords to mimic a human's while remaining draconic. It required concentration, which could be broken or dropped, returning his vocalizations to normal. But the effort was negligible for Reinhardt, who was well experienced at it. The larger dragon's voice was friendly and warm, so not to present any threat beyond his size.

Hearing the creature speak startled him. _How did he do that?_ Genji couldn’t speak in dragon form, not at all. He considered switching back into his humanoid form, but then he wouldn’t be able to escape as easily if things went awry. Though, that wasn’t exactly on his mind, more of an instinct thing. Despite being kind of an idiot, Genji’s instincts were rather strong; That fact probably got him out of a lot of trouble along the way.

Taking to the air again, he hovered high and curled up in mid-air, showing himself to the other dragon. His eyes were laden with curiosity, large and unblinking as he observed from afar.

Reinhardt considered the creature with interest. It was a green serpent, floating off the ground, fringed with fiery-orange hair or fur, its horns like that of a deer’s. A dragon, but a dragon unlike any Reinhardt had seen before, outside of artistic depictions anyway. The dragons in this land, as he heard, were different from him, born of the west. This serpentine being matched the descriptions.

It regarded him with obvious caution and yet curiosity. It floated in place, almost coiled. Reinhardt beckoned it again. “Come, drink! There is water enough for us both!”

Genji wasn’t thirsty, but he’d oblige the request. His form zipped through the air, landing over at the side of the pond where he dipped his snout in to drink. His eyes remained locked on the larger dragon, ears perked high. It was relatively obvious just how interested he was, if the incessant waving of his tail was of any indication; Truthfully, he’d never seen a dragon of this sort before. Every dragon in the Shimada clan was of the same form as Genji, though colored differently. Never were they much bigger or smaller, even with age. This silver dragon appeared weathered and old, his voice deep and rumbling, like an approaching storm.

Reinhardt lowered his head to resume drinking, his manner casual and cool. He did not expect to find another dragon in the middle of the woods, but laying eyes on another dragon, even if they were a different kind from him, had brightened his day. After a minute of quiet drinking, he decided to break the silence and introduce himself. He was nothing, if not polite. “Greetings.”

Genji supposed he was expected to respond in a manner of speech, but unlike the other he was unable to do that in this form. Standing up and closing his eyes, his form melted into that of a human’s. Well, _mostly_ ; He couldn’t actually get rid of some of his features. Though his torso and head were that of his human self, his arms and legs remained draconic down to each clawed tip. Atop his head sat his horns, polished and well-kept, and below them his elongated ears. Behind him, his long tail swayed in the same manner as before.

Admittedly, he was a little embarrassed that he couldn’t properly take his human form; He just hoped the other wouldn’t question it. He was also completely nude, but that part didn’t seem to faze him. The people of the shrine never questioned it, so he was only accustomed to wearing things when going into town-- and even then he sometimes forgot.

“H-hello…” He said quietly, giving Reinhardt a little wave. Now that he could actually speak, he had no idea what to say…

Reinhardt cocked his head, surprised but intrigued. The green dragon had taken the form of a young man, yet the transformation was not complete. Reinhardt understood though. A partial transformation took less time and required less energy, and if one felt endangered at all, it would be easier to shift back and flee. But the dragon was younger than he had expected. A dragon's human guise mirrored their true form in many things, one of them being age. Unless he was mistaken, this one couldn't be any older than some thirty years, still young. More curious, despite having a young man's body, they had a female's organs-- at least, that was how Reinhardt identified it. Reinhardt knew little of eastern dragons, so perhaps this was normal. Either way, it did not bother him. "Hello!" he returned, still in dragon form. “Pleased to meet you!”

“Yes, likewise.” The younger dragon stepped towards him slowly, eyes wide. This elder dragon was huge in comparison to Genji’s human self, thick and muscled. Genji was smart enough to figure that this dragon was perhaps from a different country altogether, since he barely resembled the form Genji took. A bit naive he was, and so a proper introduction was completely skipped, “Where… are you from?”

Reinhardt thought about the geography. "I am from the west," he declared with certainty. "Far to the west." Ever since he had start roaming the world, Reinhardt made sure to collect plenty of maps, all of which now hung at his side, secured in a satchel. Few things could harm him, and he could live for many more years, but becoming lost in the vast wilderness of the world didn't appeal to him mightily, as much as he enjoyed nature. He liked helping people, so he stuck to civilization, as dangerous as that was.

“Did you fly here?” Genji asked, eyebrows raising. He figured that was the best way to get to an island like this, and with those immense wings it was surely an easy task. Sure, Genji could fly, but he rather envied the look of having such appendages.

"As a matter of fact, I did not. I came here by boat." He was in human form at the time, of course. It wasn't that he doubted his own flying abilities, but Reinhardt spent so much time in human form that he more often than not thought like a human. Not to mention, he hadn't visited this isle before; he didn't know how long flying there might've taken, and did not want to risk it.

The younger dragon’s brow furrowed in distaste. “By boat? Like with _humans_?” His form slinked back a little, clearly a little mistrustful of that fact. Though indeed naive, Genji’s instincts were strong; the mere thought of those people brought back painful memories.

"Yes," Reinhardt confirmed. "With humans." He hadn't taken many waterborne voyages in his lifetime, so coming to this land via boat was a new experience. “It seemed the best option, considering I did not know this land at the time.” He had picked up the language sure enough, but he was still a newcomer to this land.

Genji pursed his lips, his tail flicking. “Mm, right.” His pose relaxed, shifting weight to his other foot. “Can you breathe fire?” The question was juvenile, stemmed from his relative knowledge of dragons from other parts of the world. Such information was mostly false, as were the stories of his kin. Dragons were an elusive species indeed.

Reinhardt took no offense to the nature of the comment. From what he understood, the dragons of the east did not share the talent, and since the boy was young, he would indulge his curiosity. "I can breathe fire, yes," he confirmed.

The younger dragon’s eyes lit up, a smile forming on his face. “C-Can you show me?”

"Hmmm. It is a dangerous thing to demonstrate, especially in the middle of a forest. Though, I suppose there is little harm in a small flame." Breathing deeply, he cracked open his mouth and let a small spurt, more smoke than actual fire, escape his mouth. Orange particles swirled among the smoke strands and disappeared into nothing.

Genji was nearly bouncing on his heels in excitement, arms pulled up to his chest. “Amazing!” Genji didn’t really have any powers yet, but he knew that he’d develop some in the future. He’d always been a late bloomer, developing his horns long after his brother had back home, despite them being twins. “What else can you do?”

Reinhardt rumbled. "Er... That's about it, really. I can fly, of course, but that much seems obvious." He shook his wings a bit.

“Ah, I see...” He seemed pretty content with that answer, surprisingly. “Would you like to visit the shrine with me?” Genji mused, tilting his head to the side idly, "Maybe... in your smaller form. You would be much too great to fit inside like this!" he grinned.

The strange dragon's forwardness caught Reinhardt off-guard. People were usually not so inviting unless they hid an ulterior motive. "Shrine?" he asked. He would probe further until he had enough information to reach a conclusion.

Genji nodded, “The dragon shrine, for the twin dragon gods.” He placed a hand on his hip, tilting his head to the side. “You’re a different kind of dragon, but I’m sure they’d welcome you all the same! There’s food!” His mind was _always_ on food.

Reinhardt hmmed, a deep rumbling sound. He took a single step forward, pressing his claws into the leaves. “You are quick to invite a complete and utter stranger, from a foreign land nonetheless.”

“But... you are a dragon!” He said, ears perking up. “And not an evil one. I do not want you to be alone, there are all kinds of people looking for us.” The elder dragon certainly looked like he could defend himself, but that didn’t seem to sway Genji. “It is not safe out there, beyond the sanctuary...” The young dragon’s ears drooped, and he glanced away. A part of him wanted to continue, to tell this man about the Shimada family, but he stopped himself before oversharing.

It was always pleasant not to be seen as terrifying when one was a hulking predator capable of flight. As to what else the green dragon said... Reinhardt's tail brushed the forest floor. In the heart of this forest, he felt awfully safe. The only reason he was gallivanting in dragon form was because the last human settlement was far, far away. "I thought dragons were seen as benevolent here?" At least, that was what he gathered, which could totally be wrong.

“They are… for the most part.” His position shifted, clearly bothered by something. “But… there are people who will try to use you, like they did me…” Genji’s tiny chest heaved with a heavy breath, his tail curling around his middle, as if protecting himself. He forced himself to look back up at the other dragon. “And I know you are powerful, and most capable of defending yourself... but there are very bad people. Do not put yourself at risk.” It was then he seemed a little less naive than originally perceived. This youngling had been through some form of turmoil, and it was beginning to show in his demeanor. Though he didn’t have many physical scars to show for it, his concern was enough.

Reinhardt rumbled in consideration. "Where might I find this shrine?"

The young dragon pointed behind him with his thumb, “Just back this way, a half-hour’s walk.” Flying would have taken less, but he didn’t look like he could maneuver too well with wings like that, especially in through the bamboo thickets.

This shrine was closer than he expected; he was almost on top of it. No wonder he met this dragon in the middle of the wilderness. "Very well. Is there anything else I should be aware of?"

Genji shook his head, “Not that I can think of.” Glancing down, he bent down to fetch some of the things that had fallen out of his bag from his flight. “What is your name?”

"I am Reinhardt," he answered. "And you?"

“Genji.” He said, his gaze returning to the other. “Reinhardt…” The boy mused in a curious tone, dragging his claw through the dirt to spell the man’s name in symbols-- assumedly his native tongue, which was Japanese; Though surely Reinhardt wouldn’t notice it from there, even if he could read the text. Once he was done, he stood up swiftly, still looking down at his scribbles in the dirt. “You have a powerful name.” With that, he erased it all with one sweep of his tail, looking back up at the other dragon. “Shall we head out?”

"You're walking with me?" Reinhardt wouldn't mind the company or guidance, but if he was to take human form, as the dragon suggested, he would quickly need to dress himself. Clearly, the younger dragon didn't much care for modesty, but Reinhardt did. Having lived so long among humans, he took on their habits and customs. Becoming nude in front of a complete stranger was... an embarrassing prospect. He requested, "May I have some privacy, but for a moment?" Hopefully, he wouldn’t come across as rude.

He’d completely forgotten about that. Modesty certainly wasn’t Genji’s strong point, but respect was. He gave a swift nod, “Certainly. I will be here!” He said, pointing behind him to a section of the forest before dashing off, leaping over obstacles as gracefully as a deer.

Once he was confident that the other dragon was far enough away, Reinhardt began his transformation. His size made it a lengthy process. Grey scales took on a fleshy hue, horns and wings and tail disappeared, claws melted into fingers, his body shrunk. Slowly, he took on the appearance of a man, though his human form wasn't exactly... humble. A dragon's human guise often reflected their true form, preserving some of its traits. He looked at his reflection in the water of the stream. His face was weathered, his hair stark white and unruly, and a great beard covered his face. Just like in his dragon form, an old scar ran down his left eye. But few old men stood well over seven feet tall with a physique to match. He had always been large, even among his kin; why would his human form be any different? So, he towered over most men. It granted him immense presence. But he did his best to show he wasn't as fearsome as he appeared... unless intimidation was just what he needed. After scrutinizing the length of his beard, he threw open his bags and quickly dressed himself.

When he’d go to meet up with Genji, he’d find the boy digging around in the dirt. Reinhardt raised a brow at it, but didn’t comment.

Genji stood, brushing off his hands as best he could, the black dirt rolling off. His tail swished around, satisfied with his efforts. “I just needed to plant this one.” Seeing an area he’d missed, he knelt down to pat the soil with one hand. Once that was finished, he stood up again, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. “Yes, let us go then!”

Reinhardt was surprised the young dragon, this Genji, didn't react to his size, as most people did, but he took it into stride. "Lead on, my friend."

The young dragon had traversed these woods for years, and knew exactly how to step, how to jump, and how to land among the roots, without fail. His movements were graceful as he dashed through the trees, occasionally stopping to let Reinhardt catch up with him. Sometimes he’d pause to pick something up-- a handful of berries, a seed pod, a feather, a smooth rock, a curved stick. For what reason he collected these things would’ve been strange to a human, but Genji was a _dragon_ , and dragons did hoard. Most hoarded sparkling treasures and expensive linens, but it was becoming apparent that the boy seemed content with just these things. By the time they’d reached the shrine, his little bag was overflowing with trinkets.

“Sensei!” Genji called out, leaping over to the side of an elderly man, who was sitting at the edge of a pond. From his clothes he appeared to be some sort of monk or shrine-keeper, wearing orange robes and large prayer beads.

The bald man’s gaze shifted to that of his apparent apprentice, his lips forming a smile. “Ah, Genji, you have returned rather early.” Reinhardt hadn’t caught up quite yet, and went unnoticed. The man’s eyesight was perhaps poor, to miss something so large, even at a distance.

“I found someone you should meet!” Turning his head, Genji waited for the other to walk up, holding an arm out as if presenting him

Something within the monk stirred, and he rose to his feet. His expression held deep curiosity as he folded his hands behind his back, taking a step forward to properly study the man.

“My, aren’t you… quite the tall one!” He laughed, his white brows raising. “Who might he be, Genji?”

“Sensei, he is a dragon... like me!” Genji was nearly bouncing on his heels in excitement; Zenyatta didn’t even need to turn his head to see this, it was blatantly apparent in his voice.

The monk’s forehead crinkled as he raised his brow again, “A dragon, you say?” The arms behind his back unfolded, one hand moving to rest upon his beads. For a moment, he sat deep in contemplation, studying Reinhardt. “Indeed, he is of the West, are you not?”

"I am," Reinhardt confirmed. A part of him was surprised that the old man knew that, but Reinhardt seemed foreign enough, even while human.

“Aha, your voice conveys it well. May I ask of your name, then?”

"Reinhardt, at your service." Habit almost compelled him to extend his hand toward the man, but the traditions were different here in the East, he remembered. It might've been rude. He instead gave a light bow.

Zenyatta clasped his hands together and bowed as well, “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Reinhardt. I am Zenyatta, and I am the keeper of this sanctum.” He said, motioning an open hand towards the entryway arch. “If you would like, I offer you a tour of our humble grounds.”

Reinhardt followed where the man gestured. "You are... quick to trust a stranger come among you." It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the kindness—if anything, the amount of it was surprising.

“I do not trust you. I trust my students. Genji has a keen insight, and strong instinct.” Zenyatta glanced over to Genji, who, in the meantime of their conversation, had decided to take a swim in the pond. As soon as he saw his master glance over at him, he bounced back to his feet, fetching his bag. He definitely hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation they’d been having, if his cheerful, vacant expression didn’t give that much away. “Come, Genji, we are going to show around our new friend.”

Genji simply nodded, shaking off his tail-end and siding up to the two.

“I do hope my student’s lack of modesty hasn’t offended you, my friend. He is a creature of whimsy; I try not to impede on his path. The others here have come to accept his quirks, I hope you can do the same.” Reinhardt didn’t seem too affected by it, but it was still something Zenyatta brought up when welcoming a visitor.

"I am not easily offended," Reinhardt assured. This Genji was certainly... different, but he didn't think lowly of him in the slightest.

“Excellent, then you will have no problems fitting in here.” Zenyatta paused, stopping dead in his tracks. “Genji.”

For a moment, Genji stood completely still. “Oh!” He suddenly exclaimed, “Yep, yep, be right back!” And, with no other explanation from either of them, he became a dragon and flew off in a green blur.

Reinhardt watched the green dragon fly off with some confusion, but he didn't ask into it. He looked back down to Zenyatta. "Lead on?"

“Certainly.” He simply nodded, beginning to walk again. The two continued to tour for several minutes. The monk opted not to enter some rooms, as to not disturb the residents within, but pointed out areas such as the meditation and living quarters, the kitchen and dining area where they would gather for feasts, the library, and lastly, the inner sanctum, which they entered.

“This is the inner sanctum, an area that is used for many purposes. In the afternoon we meet here for a short meditation session, mandatory for all of my students, and optional for those who wish to participate. Most of those who live here are my apprentices, some are my equals, and some are simply visitors.”

What made this room unique to the others was that it was rather dark. Rooms like the kitchen and dining areas had roofs above, but they were also equipped with windows. This room had no such thing, its sole source of light was from behind them, and from the many candles lit along the sides of the room, melted into place. Once Reinhardt’s eyes adjusted, he’d be able to see what was around him. Every wall in the room-- including the ceiling-- was painted with vivid images of Eastern dragons, much akin to the look of Genji’s form. In front of them was arguably the newest looking scroll, undamaged and unweathered, and it depicted two dragons, one green and one blue, both with fiery red fur.

“Do not let the atmosphere deceive you, this is not a private room.” One would certainly think so, seeing as how it was so eerie compared to the rest of the sanctuary. “This room is used for quiet worship, and comfort. Here, the followers of the dragon gods leave offerings, and pray for good fortune. As you can see, there are no offerings.” Zenyatta said, a bit of playfulness in his voice, “This is because Genji eats them all. I do not fault him for this, as the offerings are for his kinship, and he is the only dragon here.” Until now, but Reinhardt probably wouldn’t have been interested in little beaded toys and baskets of fruit. “And since you are here, you are welcome to take from the shrine alike. You and Genji are separate in your structure, but a dragon is a dragon. I would not have you feeling left out.”

"You do me honor," Reinhardt said, a little abashed. He looked up again at the depiction of the two dragons snaking around one another. It was incredibly detailed, now that he looked at it. Each scale was visible, resembling serpent scales. "Genji resembles that one," he remarked, pointing at the green one.

“Yes. He is the physical embodiment of the Dragon of the North Winds.” He glanced up to the painting, raising a hand to point at the blue one. “The other is the Dragon of the South Winds, his brother.”

Reinhardt considered the other dragon. "Does Genji have a brother, then?"

“Yes, but he is… no longer family.” There was a hint of something in Zenyatta’s voice, if one were to listen closely, they’d recognize it as anger-- something he rarely ever showed. “These scrolls depict the story of the dragon brothers, while on Earth. In this image, they are at peace. I have removed the images in which they are not, for the sake of Genji’s well-being.”

Reinhardt sensed he had broached a sensitive topic. There had been conflict then. He wouldn't press any further. He would need to keep it in mind in the future. "I see," he said soberly. Turmoil between brothers was a familiar tale, but it always saddened him.

The monk had certainly figured that Reinhardt would ask of the details, but was rather pleased that he hadn’t. “If you stay long enough, perhaps he’ll share his story with you. If I may be blunt, he rather needs someone to confide in, besides myself. There are not many that Genji trusts, because of his past. You he trusts because of your shared kinship, That, and I am sure he is eager to finally commune with another of his kind, since there are no other dragons here, as I have mentioned.” Zenyatta assumed that Reinhardt and Genji had only just met, as Genji would have _instantly_ notified the monk of another dragon in his company. However, that didn’t mean that Zenyatta doubted the young dragon’s ability to sense Reinhardt’s intentions. Dragons had a keen insight into things like this, even if they weren’t completely aware of their power. Genji was aware that he was indeed a magical being, but it was uncertain how long his powers would take to develop, seeing as how he had only recently reached maturity.

“Do indulge the boy in some things, if you would. He has lived a rather sheltered life, and it would do him some good to learn of things outside of his knowledge. But, if you are opposed to that idea, then I do not expect you to go out of your way.” Though he certainly wasn’t about to ask, he did want Reinhardt to stick around. Genji was lonely, even despite being surrounded by people who adored him. He was hard-pressed to trust humans, and rarely ever formed bonds with anyone, save for Zenyatta.

He had only just met these people, and already he felt a great deal of responsibility upon himself. This wasn't unprecedented. Some villages and towns he had happened upon were in dire need of help. He did what he could, and for that they saw him as a source of stability. He always stayed as long as he dared. But seeing how he wasn't keeping a secret from these people, he saw no harm in staying for a bit. “Very well.”

“Thank you.” The monk said, turning to Reinhardt fully. “Genji should be done with his errand now. Shall we go meet up with him?”

"Yes!" Reinhardt said, following Zenyatta out of the room, returning again to the light of day and open air. They eventually came to an open garden, where a lonesome tree presided over a large pond. Reinhardt could see Genji kneeling at the edge of the pond, near a large stone.

The young dragon perked up at hearing the sound of motion. From his position he stood, tail flicking. “Haru liked the parsnips!” He exclaimed, clasping his hands together.

“I knew he would,” the monk mused, smiling. “Haru is easy to please, unlike a certain dragon I know.” This comment earned a frown from Genji, who crossed his arms. “I do hope our new friend is not quite as particular as you.”

Reinhardt wasn't sure who Haru was until Genji rose to his feet and Reinhardt realized the stone wasn't a stone at all. It was a turtle, a turtle larger than any he had ever seen in his long life. It must've weighed a hundred pounds, at least. Its great jaws chomped away at the aforementioned parsnips with relish. "That is quite the turtle," Reinhardt commented, a little awed.

“Indeed, he has been by my side for many years.” The monk added, “He is one of the many creatures we keep around within the shrine. The others are far more elusive than Haru.” Zenyatta moved closer to the creature, watching it munch on the meal it had been presented. “Haru eats at a very specific time every day, and Genji and I are responsible for feeding him.”

“And if we do not feed him at the right time, it is bad luck.” Genji chimed, his tail flicking. Zenyatta nodded, and remained silent to observe the creature, so Genji instead turned to Reinhardt. “So did you guys finish the tour? Can we talk about dragon things now?” It was quite obvious just how excited he was to have such a friend.

 _Dragon things._ The boy's impatience and directness tickled Reinhardt. "What would you wish to know?" The topic was a bit... broad, to say the least.

“Anything!” He shrugged, “Have you met another dragon before? I am sure you have, right? How many of us are there, do you think? Perhaps a hundred, or more?” The sparkles in his eyes rivaled the most precious of gems.

Reinhardt briefly turned to Zenyatta for support, but there was none to be found in the old man's amused face. He turned back to young Genji. "I have met many dragons, a number of whom were my friends." His clan. Those were the good days, the peak of his life. He missed them. "As for how many dragons there are, I cannot say. The world is vast. I found you by luck."

Genji’s lips pursed, “Where do your friends live?” He didn’t quite consider the fact that Reinhardt was speaking in past tense.

"We lived together, back in my homeland," he told the young dragon.

“Genji, perhaps you both can discuss this another time.” Zenyatta was beginning to sense that something was amiss with Reinhardt's tone, and took it upon himself to defuse the situation while it was calm. Of all people, he knew the face of loss. “Why don't you treat your friend to something to eat? I'm sure he's tired from his long journey.”

Genji huffed, “Understood.” A part of him sensed Zenyatta’s motive in getting him to change the subject, but he was still oblivious as to why. He knew better than to pry, so he'd drop it. “Come, Reinhardt, let us get some food.” Instinctively, he reached for the man's hand, as he had with his teacher many times before, brown eyes glancing up to the taller man. It took him a second to realize that perhaps that was a little too personal, and he shied away a moment later, walking past the other dragon with increased haste. Why was he acting like such a fool? At this rate he was going to scare off his new friend and ruin everything…

The sudden contact was surprising, but the look of embarrassment on Genji's face followed by him scampering off told Reinhardt it wasn't intentional. Reinhardt didn't think anything of it; the boy was clearly excited and may have lacked certain graces. He followed after him. A meal did sound good.


End file.
